Researchers have switched an intrinsic property of electrons from an excited state to a relaxed state on demand.

Researchers are exploring how to use NDCX-II to process exotic materials, like the silicon-bismuth sample used in a recent microwave-based experiment relevant to quantum computing. By zapping an exotic silicon material developed at Berkeley Lab with the microwaves, they found that they could rapidly change the electron spins from an excited state to a relaxed, ground state by causing the electrons to emit some of their energy in the form of microwave particles known as photons.

A silicon sampled doped with bismuth atoms (left image) that is just 150 nanometers thick is fitted with a superconducting resonator that includes a capacitor (black, in left image; light gray in center image) and an inductive wire (red line in the left image) that is 5 microns in diameter.

Energy hybrid

December 9, 2016 - To support the development of microgrids in south-east Asia, Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is leading the renewable energy integration demonstrator — Singapore (Reids) project. When fully constructed Reids will be the largest ...

December 7, 2016 - “The operation of this technology, a world's first, is a major milestone for the geothermal industry and a reinforcement of our commitment to innovation and energy efficiency,” said Francesco Venturini, Head of Enel's Global Renewable Energies. “We are ...

December 6, 2016 - It increased the plant's output by 1008MWh between July and September, offsetting energy consumption by 8.8%. Enel operates another hybrid plant in the US that combines geothermal and solar power. "The operation of this technology, a world's first, is ...

December 3, 2016 - Why not exploit the benefits of batteries and super capacitors simultaneously and combine them in some kind of energy hybrid, they asked themselves. In the current issue of scientific journal Nature Materials the group introduces its approach ...

December 2, 2016 - "In a developed market, you are competing with cheaper forms of conventional power generation, such as gas and also hydro. Energy storage costs still have some way to come down for a hybrid plant like Kennedy Energy Park to be competitive," he said.

December 1, 2016 - SEATTLE - When firefighter paramedics Morlon Malveaux and Mark Pedeferri learned that their powerhorse diesel ambulance was going to be traded for a gas-powered hybrid they were more than a little concerned. The two, who run a Medic One rig ...